-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 D+cW/C2Gz0/bZyzPa4yyRMvOyfKfaHW+ccIliWxWRidjCEb8hIZYnLfCH+Fl3oe3
 ++jP9FGE7+jAqOVoeycvXA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000009389-04-000140.txt : 20040429
<SEC-HEADER>0000009389-04-000140.hdr.sgml : 20040429
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040429173753
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000009389-04-000140
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040428
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040429

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BALL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000009389
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	METAL CANS [3411]
		IRS NUMBER:				350160610
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10 LONGS PEAK DRIVE
		CITY:			BROOMFIELD
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80021-2510
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3034695511

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PO BOX 5000
		CITY:			BROOMFIELD
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80038-5000

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BALL BROTHERS CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19731115

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BRACKEN FRANK A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001012743
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07349
		FILM NUMBER:		04766525

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10 LONGS PEAK DRIVE
		STREET 2:		PO BOX 5000
		CITY:			BROOMFIELD
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80021-2510
		BUSINESS PHONE:		303-460-2586

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10 LONGS PEAK DRIVE
		STREET 2:		PO BOX 5000
		CITY:			BROOMFIELD
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80021-2510
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-04-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000009389</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BALL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BLL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001012743</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BRACKEN FRANK A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BALL CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>10 LONGS PEAK DR.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BROOMFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80021-2510</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>263</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>68.22</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>583220</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12440</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Spouse</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Company match in Ball Corporation Deferred Compensation Company Stock Plan</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reporting person expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Robert W. McClelland, AssocGenCoun  For: Frank A. Bracken</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>poabrackenf404.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EDGAR SUPPORTING DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints Charles E. Baker, Donald C. Lewis,
Robert W. McClelland, Mary L. Rose and David A. Westerlund,
and each of them acting or signing alone, as his or her true
and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned's capacity as a director of Ball Corporation (the
"Company"), any and all reports required to be filed by the
undersigned in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of
the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to
complete and execute any such Form 3, 4 or 5 or other
required report and timely file such report with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission and
any stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of
such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best
interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact
on behalf of the undersigned, pursuant to this Power of Attorney,
shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full
power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, and proper to be done in
the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as
fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution
or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney-in-fact, or his or her substitute or substitutes,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.
The undersigned acknowledges that no such attorney-in-fact,
in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned,
is hereby assuming, nor is the Company hereby assuming, any of
the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section
16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file reports
under Section 16 with respect to the undersigned's holdings
of and transactions in securities issued by the Company,
unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed
writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 28th day of April 2004.


Signature: /s/ Frank A. Bracken


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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